Havana, Cuba – 2003. It all began in the Melia Cohiba Hotel whilst I was in Cuba on a humanitarian trip to visit and assist the last remaining Jewish population in Cuba.
My mom, my brother and I were sitting in the lounge and my brother Philip (of Havana Phil’s in Greensboro, NC) said to me; if you are EVER going to try a cigar THIS IS THE PLACE. So I tried a Montecristo #2 and from the then on…well…The rest is history. Continued below…
I have made several trips to Cuba for Humanitarian missions and I have made sure they coincide with the Habanos Festival. I have had the wonderful opportunity to tour several of the cigar rolling factories in Havana: H.Upmann, Partagas, & Cohiba (El Laguito). I have spent time with the growers in the fields in and around Pinar Del Rio, where the finest leaves are grown and “dried”. I have also been so fortunate to attend multiple educational seminars from seed to box to smoking cigars with experts from around the world attending the Habanos Festival.
I have also been attending the BIG SMOKE three-day seminars in Las Vegas, sponsored by Cigar Aficionado magazine, since 2005… where again we have had the top cigar manufacturers telling their stories of SEED to BOX.
Back home in San Diego, I smoke all over town and people are so keen on learning more about the ART of Cigar smoking. I have been told that I should be sharing my excitement and love for cigars with others! Hence, SEGALandCIGARS.com was born. Currently, I manage two Cigar clubs that I formed back in 2009. I hope you enjoy my videos. I try to be fun AND informative. Please feel free to ASK QUESTIONS and make suggestions…
“If you got ‘em; smoke ‘em…”